Helping veterans and military families strengthen their faith.

The Thirty Day Treatment

New Year resolutions are a popular topic this time of year and with good reason. As 2012 arrives, we all get a fresh start on life. An incredible new beginning where the sky is the limit on what we can achieve. And while there are no guarantees on what will happen, we all get an opportunity to make 2012 better than last year.

Did you make a New Year’s resolution? Most folks do. What will you improve in 2012? People commonly want to shed some pounds after all those Christmas dinners at work and home. Some folks resolve to change their diet and eat healthy meals. Others resolve to exercise more often or visit the gym. Some decide to give up a habit like smoking, soda pop, or dare I even say it, Starbucks. Many resolve to spend less money or start a savings plan. You also hear about folks who resolve to read through the Bible in a year or start a daily prayer time.

Military deployments can also play into the mix. Military spouses and families often want to make a change before that loved one returns from the combat zone. Some resolve to paint the downstairs, improve the yard, start a business, or save some money for a welcome home party. Other resolutions may focus on improving your relationship after a long deployment.

How long will your resolution last? Studies show that a majority of Americans quit their resolution within four weeks of New Year’s Day. Our resolutions normally last only one month out of the entire year. While very disappointing, it’s easy to see how that can happen. We get distracted. We miss a couple of work out sessions at the gym. Or that bag of Oreo cookies was calling your name at the store. And after a couple of Oreos, carrots and celery just don’t taste as good as they did last week. Just a few setbacks may convince us to quit our resolution altogether.

We can do better than showing four weeks of devotion to any given task. When it comes to your service member, don’t give up on your hopes and dreams. Focus on those projects and strengthening your relationship. When it comes to God, don’t give Him the thirty day treatment. He deserves more than one month out of twelve. Maintain that resolution and build your faith. The relationship that you build through Jesus will have an impact like no other in your life.

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